


Grumpy, grumpy

by soy_em



Series: Wincestmas 2017 [7]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hair Washing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Men of Letters Bunker, Protective Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester's Hell Trials, Supernatural Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 08:41:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13360764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soy_em/pseuds/soy_em
Summary: “Shower,” is Sam’s next demand. Dean’s mildly alarmed; Sam had swayed on his feet all the way down the corridor, Dean clucking around him like an absurd hen in case he fell.The trials are taking their toll on Sam, so its up to Dean to make sure his little brother is cared for.





	Grumpy, grumpy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SinnamonSpider](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinnamonSpider/gifts).



There’s a point at which Sam gets so weak that he’s barely able to lift himself up. Dean can barely get any food or liquid into him, and Sam’s temperature is climbing far higher than he’s comfortable with. 

This is far from the first time he’s seen Sam through a fever, but it’s definitely the worst. Dean’s well aware of how to care for Sammy, but none of his tried-and-true methods are working. The Trials are taking their toll on Sam, and there seems to be little he can do. 

He encourages Sam to sleep, tucking Sam into bed and keeping watch when he can, checking in regularly when he can’t. He spends his time bustling between Sam’s room, the war room and the kitchen; researching desperately when he’s not watching Sam or cooking up simple meals to tempt him. 

Sam spends the best part of two days in bed. But the next morning, Dean finds him staggering down the corridor, heading towards the library.

“Hey,” he says, hurrying towards Sam. “What’re you doing up?”

“Getting up for the day,” Sam says, a hint of determination in his voice. “Gonna find us a hunt.”

“Sure,” Dean says, rolling his eyes. “Come on for breakfast, then.”

Sam manages to force down some toast and jelly under Dean’s watchful eye, but he pushes the plate of eggs away.

“Had enough,” he says, and Dean’s forcibly reminded of toddler-Sam, refusing to eat his greens (how that had changed, he thinks).

“Shower,” is Sam’s next demand. Dean’s mildly alarmed; Sam had swayed on his feet all the way down the corridor, Dean clucking around him like an absurd hen in case he fell. He’s pretty sure Sam’s not going to be able to stay upright for an entire shower, toast and jelly or not. 

“Are you sure? You can have a nice shower tomorrow?” he says, cajoling. 

“I’m having a fucking shower, Dean,” Sam says, and behind the fever in his eyes is that glint that Dean associates with complete intractability. This is clearly going to happen; all Dean can do is make sure that Sam’s as safe as possible.

He trails Sam down the corridor to the bathrooms. He can’t deny that Sam’s in grave need of a shower; his brother is sweaty at the best of times and with a fever, Dean can smell him coming. His hair’s a mess, sticking up and matted on one side and completely flattened on the other, and sleep is crusted around his eyes. He knows a shower will make Sam feel better, too; he has vivid memories of being sick himself and the bliss of getting clean, not to mention the feeling of washing yuck off his body after a particularly nasty hunt. 

It’s just that Sam is so unsteady on his feet; he pauses twice on the walk to the bathroom to lean against the wall and take a deep breath, the general pallor of his face increasing, a painful contrast to the two bright red fever flushes on his cheeks.

Once they’re in the big communal bathrooms, Dean herds Sam gently towards the bench at the side. He watches in complete dismay for a moment as Sam struggles to get out of his henley. 

“Ok, come on,” he says, helping Sam to disentangle himself from the arms. 

“Stop it, Dean, I can do it myself.” 

“Sure.” Dean doesn’t even bother to argue, just pulls the shirt over Sam’s head. It fluffs his hair even more, making a wild halo around his head. “You know, you could let me…” he makes snipping motions with his fingers, and Sam bats ineffectively at his hand. 

“Fuck off.”

“Grumpy grumpy,” Dean teases. “C’mon, trousers.”

He watches, feeling utterly impotent, as Sam struggles to lift his hips enough to get his sweats and boxers down his legs. Once they’re around Sam’s knees, he hooks a foot between Sam’s calves and pulls the clothes down; the help is rough enough that Sam will be able to justify it as Dean being annoying. 

Dean averts his eyes once Sam is naked. Its nothing he hasn’t seen before, of course; but that’s just the polite thing to do - especially when his brother is this vulnerable. 

Sam pushes himself to his feet, holding onto the wall. He takes the few shaky steps across to the cubicle and prods ineffectively at the controls, looking confused when no water appears.

Dean can only bear it for a moment before he strides across the room, reaching a hand out from the side to turn the water on. Sam looks mildly surprised to see him, and Dean’s heart contracts with worry. Water splashes down over Sam’s face and he smiles gently. 

It’s soon clear that Sam’s in no position to wash himself. He stands under the spray, swaying gently from side to side, and reaches out to steady himself against the wall. Dean holds back, trying to give Sam this little bit of dignity, but when Sam pitches forward, Dean can’t help but reach out to grab his little brother, pulling him backward to safety. Sam barely even tries to shrug him off, and that’s enough for Dean. 

“Stand there,” he says, propping Sam carefully against the wall. He shucks his clothes quickly, until he’s down to his boxers, and then steps fully into the shower cubicle. It’s the work of a moment to pull Sam upright again, noting the minute tremors across Sam’s skin from even the few seconds out of the warmth. 

Grabbing Sam’s washcloth and soap, he creates a thick lather and then sets about washing his little brother. They haven’t done this since Sammy was small, much smaller than Dean had been; and it’s weird to have to reach up to shampoo Sam’s hair. But Sam leans into in just the same way he always had, tipping his head back in pleasure as Dean scrubs gently through his hair. 

As Dean works his way down Sam’s body, sluicing away days’ worth of fever sweat, he shudders at how Sam’s ribs protrude, piano keys sticking out from his skin. The cut of Sam’s hips is painfully sharp, dipping into his concave tummy; and Dean resolves again to make sure Sam eats more. 

“Here, wash,” he says, handing Sam the cloth and gesturing towards his brother’s groin. Sam has to hold on to Dean to do it, concentrating so much he’s biting his lip; but once he’s done, Dean takes the cloth back and swipes quickly down his brothers legs. 

With a quick check that all the soap is out of Sam’s hair, Dean shuts off the shower. He bundles Sam up in a towel and then one of their pilfered robes, and leads him carefully back down the hallway.

***

Half an hour later, Sam’s settled on Dean’s bed, eyelids drooping as Dean brushes carefully through his hair. 

“We gotta find a hunt.” 

Sam’s almost asleep, but somehow he still finds the means to be difficult, Dean thinks. Taking a chance that Sam’s disorientation extends to the time, he nonchalantly replies, “It’s late now, sasquatch. We’ll look in the morning.”

“Ok.” Sam’s mouth sets in a pout. “Definitely in the morning. Bored of being here, Dean.”

“Sure thing.”

Sam finds that comforting enough to lean full back against Dean, and with one last swipe through Sam’s hair to remove any wetness, Dean lowers Sam down until he’s lying on the bed. Sheets are quickly tucked in around Sam, and he’s asleep even before Dean’s stepped back.

_What the fuck are we gonna do if he doesn’t get better?_ Dean thinks, frantic with worry.

But he pushes that thought aside. All he can do for now is take care of his little brother, and with that in mind, he goes to put clean sheets on Sam’s bed while he’s got the chance. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my [Tumblr](https://soy-em.tumblr.com/).


End file.
